World Cup 2014 Group G preview: Germany v Portugal

Miroslav Klose needs two goals to become the all-time record goalscorer in World Cup history. He is 5/1 to net first and 7/1 to bag a brace in Germany’s first World Cup Group G game against Portugal who are 13/5 to record a victory.

Manager Joachim is boosted by the fact that Manuel Neuer and Philip Lahm are both fit to start the match, and may decide to deploy the latter as a defensive midfielder in the same way as his club coach Pep Guardiola has utilised him at Bayern Munich this season.

Neuer suffered an injury to ligaments in his right shoulder, though he has been deemed fit enough to face Paulo Bento’s Navigators. Cristiano Ronaldo is set to return for Bento’s boys after suffering from tendonitis in his left knee, and is subsequently 5/1 to strike the first goal and 7/1 to find the goal on more than two occasions.
The Real Madrid attacker will be wanting to make a significant impact in Brazil, and will have seen Neymar, Robin van Persie, and Arjen Robben both score two in their opening matches. However, if there is one thing we have learned, it’s that noone out-does Ronaldo. He has scored 51 goals in 47 appearances this term, as his haul of 17 in Europe helped Real win the Champions League, and him the top scorer award.

Knowing that rival Lionel Messi is playing in arguably an easier group, therefore increasing his scoring opportunities will only spur him on further. There is the age-old saying that one player doesn’t make a team, but in this case there is certainly just cause.

Sporting Lisbon defensive midfielder William Carvalho could also be in line for a start, and could feature with Joao Moutinho, and one of either Miguel Veloso, or Raul Meireles alongside him. Carvalho is one of Portugal’s bright young things, and is being tracked by some of Europe’s elite. A tidy player with the ball at his feet, an ability to read the pattern of play, boundless energy and an imposing physical frame, his release clause of £37.5m release clause could turn out to be well justified by the end of the World Cup.

Nani has had a disappointing season at Old Trafford, and is being widely tipped to leave Manchester United this summer, with reported interest from cash-rich Italian club Inter Milan. He will see this World Cup as an opportunity to audition and is 11/4 to find the net at anytime against Germany.

Die Mannschaft, who are 6/5 to win the clash, and despite having a number of key players out injured, can still field an exciting side. Low must decide whether to start Mario Gotze after the Bayern star came on and scored two in ten minutes in Germany’s final World Cup warm-up match against Armenia. He is 13/8 to net at anytime. Thomas Muller will also be in strong contention for a start, after winning the Golden Boot at the last World Cup with five goals and two assists. Obviously a vital cog in Germany’s machine, the headache for Low is where to start him, and how to utilise him in a starting line-up that could include Miroslav Klose. The preferred system of choice is a 4-2-3-1 and Lukas Podolski has made the left attacking berth his own, with his strong running and potent distribution of the ball from threatening areas of the pitch.